Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Two twenty-something stoner roommates, one a Korean-American investment banker, Harold, and the other an Indian-American medical school candidate, Kumar, go through a life changing journey. They are on a quest to satisfy their cravings for burgers and spend the night roaming the state of New Jersey in search of White Castle hamburgers running into one screwy obstacle after another.

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"Did Doogie Houser just steal my f***ing car?
A dumb, funny, low-brow stoner buddy comedy that will appeal to fans of "Old School," "The Hangover," and "Superbad." Giving two non-white actors the leads gives it some novelty and there is some racial humor (unlike another commentator, I wouldn't call is "politically correct")that's edgier than what you usually find in movie like this. John Cho and Kal Penn both underplay rather than go over the top, letting the craziness unfold around them. Neil Patrick Harris, of course, plays himself or, rather, an extreme version of himself. Turn off your brain and enjoy. Followed by 2 sequels.

Non-caucasian twenty-somethings Harold and Kumar forsake a late night at the office and a med school interview respectively in order to smoke a bong and watch bad cable TV. Seized with a sudden case of weed-induced munchies they heed the siren call of a particularly seductive commercial and thus begins a long and torturous all-night road movie as the two stoners go in search of burgers, pot, and p*ssy, in that order. Of course their culinary quest is blindsided at every turn by, among other things, a pick-up truck full of racist neanderthals, a bloodthirsty raccoon, and a cameo by still-closeted Neil Patrick Harris reinventing himself as a coked-out man-slut on the hunt for sloppy chicks. A desperate search for medical marijuana turns into an E.R. parody, an escaped zoo animal provides some unlikely transportation and, in what was for me the film’s only highlight, a brief sojourn in the ladies room lands our heros right in the middle of a spirited game of “battle-shits” between two clueless debs. The “Prejudice is Wrong” sermonizing complete with politically correct ending is tempered somewhat by a lot of drugged non-sequiturs and good-natured racial stereotyping but, in the end, it’s just another vapid teen comedy that tries to convince us it’s so much more because it has a message. John Cho and Kal Penn do share a certain degree of screen chemistry however, their deadpan expressions and comic timing are adequate considering the unexceptional material they had to work with. When a DVD’s option menu is funnier than the film itself you know you’re in trouble.

Quotes

Kumar: Do you know what the hell we had to go through after you took the car?
Neil Patrick Harris: Yeah, it was a dick move on my part. That's why I'm paying for your meal. Prick.
Neil Patrick Harris: [looks down to count money] Here's 50 for the meal, and 200 for the car.
Harold: What did you do to my car?
Neil Patrick Harris: I made some love stains in the back. You'll see

Harold: I want that.
Kumar: What? A Hot Dog Heaven super chili cheese dog?
Harold: No. I want that feeling. The feeling that comes over a man when he gets exactly what he desires. I need that feeling!
Kumar: Are you saying what I think you're saying?
Harold: We gotta go to White Castle.
Kumar: YES! YES! I knew you had it in you dude!

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Summary

Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are two stoners who end up getting the munchies. What they crave the most after seeing a TV advertisement, is a trip to White Castle. So from here, follows a journey for the burgers they require. On their way they will encounter many obstacles including a raccoon, a racist officer, and a horny Neil Patrick Harris.